The monitoring of analyte concentration levels in a bio-fluid may be an important part of health diagnostics. For example, an electrochemical analyte sensor may be employed for the monitoring of a patient's blood glucose level as part of diabetes treatment and care.
An electrochemical analyte sensor may be employed discretely (‘discrete monitoring’), for instance, by detecting an analyte concentration level in a single sample of blood or other interstitial fluid obtained from the patient by a lancet (e.g., by a pin-prick or needle). Optionally, the analyte sensor may be employed continuously (‘continuous monitoring’), by implanting a sensor in the patient for a duration of time. In discrete monitoring, there may be a separation between the sample collection process and the measurement of the analyte concentration level. Typically, after a bio-fluid sample has been obtained from the patient, such as by the use of a lancet, the sample may then be transferred to a medium (e.g., a test strip or a detector) for measurement of the sample's analyte concentration level.
Conventional lancets, if too large, may cause undue pain and discomfort to the patient when inserted. Further, because conventional electrochemical analyte sensors may be of relatively low sensitivity and transfer of a bio-fluid sample to the sensor may be relatively inefficient, a relatively large sample volume may be required in order to yield an accurate measurement of the analyte concentration level. In such instances, if the sample provided is too small, the sensor may be provided with an insufficient sample volume for an accurate reading. Thus, additional bio-fluid may need to be drawn from the patient. Consequently, lancet insertion may need to be repeated, causing further patient pain and discomfort.
It would therefore be beneficial to provide an analyte sensor adapted for bio-fluid analyte monitoring that is minimally invasive during sample collection, and yet consistently and readily provides for accurate analyte concentration level measurements from the obtained bio-fluid sample.